Tuesday, July 22, 2014

There is nothing more soothingly sweet, more synonymous with comfort, than leftover dessert for breakfast. We began our Monday with nectarine cobbler. We’ve been on a nectarine jag, and happened to have four extra pounds of them that needed using up over the weekend. Though peach cobbler is my first love – I still fantasize about the ones my grandmother made with the luscious fruit from her trees – I am lazy. Removing skins from peaches is too much work. You get to leave the skins on when you bake with nectarines.

Nectarine Cobbler

This is similar to what my grandmother used to make with her peaches. The roasting of the nectarines, first, makes all the difference.

For the filling:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Mix all of the filling ingredients in a 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the topping:
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and 4 tablespoons of the sugar in a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and buttermilk, and stir until batter forms.
Remove the fruit from the oven. Spoon the batter over the hot filling in 12 mounds, spacing evenly. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons of remaining sugar. Bake until the juices thicken and the topping is golden, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.